Pathfinder Reservoir
Natrona County, WyomingView mapDirections
Wyoming DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Pathfinder Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Public access
- Limited data
Pathfinder Reservoir in Natrona County, Wyoming has water-quality measurements published by Wyoming DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L.
Pathfinder Reservoir is a lake in Natrona County, Wyoming. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wyoming DEQ, last sampled 2015-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pathfinder Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pathfinder Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Pathfinder Reservoir
These are the measurements Wyoming DEQ publishes for Pathfinder Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 10µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Pathfinder Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Pathfinder ReservoirPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Pathfinder Reservoir
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Fishing Pathfinder Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2012–2017).
Phosphorus
Stable+0.23 µg/L/yr5 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pathfinder Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pathfinder Dike (completed 1911), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the North Platte River Offstream; earth-type dam, 38 ft tall and 1,650 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 1,016,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,016,500 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Fish and Wildlife Pond;Irrigation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WY01295 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Natrona County
Frequently asked questions about Pathfinder Reservoir
Where is Pathfinder Reservoir?
- Pathfinder Reservoir is a lake in Natrona County, Wyoming. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wyoming DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pathfinder Reservoir?
- Pathfinder Reservoir in Natrona County, Wyoming has water-quality measurements published by Wyoming DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L.
Is Pathfinder Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Pathfinder Reservoir?
- Pathfinder Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pathfinder Reservoir. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pathfinder Reservoir?
- Pathfinder Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wyoming's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2015. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Watershed Program
WYDEQ_WATERSHED1 sample · 2015
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory